Insurgents plant landmines and roadside bombs in the south and the east of the country to target Afghan and international troops, but civilians often are killed or injured as a result.

Also, Monday a Taliban spokesman said the four remaining Turkish nationals among a group of 11 people abducted last month by the militant group would be released shortly.

An email statement from Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahed said the earlier release of another four Turks was intended as a "goodwill gesture" and "soon" the remaining four Turks still in their possession would also be freed.

He did not make any reference to the Afghan translator and two pilots __ one from Russia and one from Kyrgyzstan __ who were captured along with the eight Turks when bad weather forced their helicopter to make an emergency landing in the Taliban-stronghold of eastern Afghanistan's Logar province on April 21.

On Sunday Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency said the freed Turks were taken to the Turkish Embassy in Kabul.